Consigned to the Elements
by Lady-of-the-Dragons
Summary: 500 years after the fall of the Silver Millennium, the descendants of the Generals and the King set out to find and reawaken the legendary Sailor Senshi...
1. The Story Begins

~~A/N: Well, here we go! My first Sailor Moon fic! I hope no-one's OOC, but in Australia we only get the stupid dub version. But I am using their proper names! Go me! Anyway… please read and review. If I've majorly stuffed anything up, please let me know! 

Disclaimer Stuff: I own nothing, except Gaia. And the plot. 

Thankyou and please read!~~

"I'm _bored_," sighed the elegant, midnight-haired young man as he threw himself onto the couch.

"You're _always_ bored, Mamoru," Kunzite admonished from across the room, grinning. Mamoru laughed and hurled a cushion at him. It went sailing over the other man's silver head and hit the brunette behind him.

"Mou! I'll get you for that!" Nephrite cried, seizing the pillow and hurling it back. The room's other two occupants, Jadeite and Zoisite, burst out laughing at the sight of the usually dignified men throwing cushions at each other like children. Suddenly Mamoru, aiming a cushion at Kunzite, paused, turned, and hit Jadeite with it instead. The blonde quickly grabbed the offending pillow and, after whacking Zoisite with it, flung it back at Mamoru. Zoisite snatched a pillow of his own and joined the fray. The thump and thwack of the poor abused cushions only ceased as a loud bell rang. Kunzite looked up, and in a flash was the elegant, well-mannered young man that had been before the skirmish had begun. He finished adjusting his collar and mock-glared down at the pile of men. 

"Hurry up you lot, or we'll be late for dinner." Nephrite moved first, deftly extricating himself from the heap, and neatening his clothes. Mamoru moved next, then Zoisite. Jadeite, however, remained sprawled on the floor, gazing up at his friends with an apathetic sigh. 

"Do I have to move?" he asked plaintively. 

"No, unless you want to miss the fabulous roast chicken I can smell." Zoisite smirked as Jadeite was up like a shot and at the door. 

"Come on then! Let's go!" They made their way downstairs in companionable silence. Mamoru was the eldest of the five, being 21 years old. Kunzite, also 21, was two months younger. Nephrite was 20, as was Zoisite, while Jadeite was 19. Despite the one-year age gap, Zoisite would insist on calling Jadeite the "baby" of the group. This would frequently result in mock-fights between the pair, but the five men couldn't have been closer had they been born brothers. Friends since childhood, they had each lost their fathers when the transport they had been on was attacked and destroyed. 

The quintet sauntered into the grand dining room, still laughing at another verbal sparring match between the two youngest. Jadeite wore a slightly sulky expression, but got his own back when Zoisite stumbled on the rug. Seated at the head of the table, Mamoru's mother Gaia, smiled at the boys as they took their seats. She treated them all as her own sons, as their own mothers did for hers. The dinner was consumed in remarkably short order, the men being rather hungry after their fight upstairs. Dessert was brought out as Gaia brought up the subject of the rumpus she had heard. Her son grinned broadly as he recounted the fun. 

"You remind me so much of your father," she said softly. The smile vanished from Mamoru's face as his mood turned serious. His four friends took this as a cue, and, after exchanging swift glances, silently slipped away. 

"Mamoru, are you ever going to decide what you want to do with your life?" his mother asked him. He stood up and paced over to the window, hands clasped behind his back. 

"I don't know mother," he said. 

"Mamoru, you are twenty-one now. You need to find _something_." 

"I know," he sighed. "You want me to go into the army like father, but I will not fight for the Dark Kingdom." Gaia closed her eyes briefly. 

"My son, there is no one else who can rule the Silver Millennium."

"The Black Millennium you mean," Mamoru said, stalking back from the window to his seat. "Mother, they oppress the people of every planet, they have raised taxes to an abominable level, they start wars with the slightest provocation…" He broke off, breathing heavily. "If Father hadn't been in their army…" He sighed. "I will never willingly serve them." Gaia bowed her head. 

"I understand your thoughts my son," she murmured. "We will talk again later." She rose and left the room. Mamoru wandered back upstairs, running a hand through his hair. 

Wandering into the library, he saw his four friends either reading or browsing the shelves. One look at his face told them not to comment. Instead, Nephrite pulled out an astronomy book and settled himself by the fire. Calling Mamoru over, the two were soon in a deep discussion about the effect the Moon was going to have coming into Leo. Jadeite laughed as he found the novel he had been looking for and flopped down on the rug beside the couch. Zoisite sat beside Jadeite with a science book, while Kunzite read a philosophy book. For a few minutes they sat peacefully. Suddenly Mamoru frowned and looked up. "Can anyone else hear that?" The others also looked up, listening intently. 

"Yes… I can hear… _something_… what, I don't know," Kunzite said, eyes closed. Nephrite nodded.

"Something… _has woken_," he murmured. 

"It's in here somewhere…" Zoisite whispered. 

"Whatever it is, it's calling… and it's getting louder," Jadeite said softly. 

Mamoru rose and closed his eyes. As if in a trance, the other men rose and followed him as he felt his way along the shelves. They walked deeper and deeper into the library, into a place they seldom saw. As he reached the end of the last shelf, Mamoru paused. Kneeling beside the last book on the bottom shelf, he pulled it out and felt along the space it had left. With a soft _snikt!_ a panel on the wall slid aside revealing a dark passage. As Mamoru stepped into it, still holding the book, torches along the wall burst into flame. Following, the five walked in silence following the descending passage until the corridor ended at a beautiful, ornately decorated room. As they entered, their trances were broken, and they looked around in wonder. 

"What is this place?" Jadeite asked. 

"I've never heard of it before," Mamoru said softly. "Yet… I feel like I've been here before." 

"You're not the only one." Mamoru turned to look at Kunzite, who was staring around with an air of confused remembrance. 

"I know what you mean," Nephrite closed his eyes briefly as Zoisite and Jadeite nodded. Opening his eyes again, he looked not at Mamoru, but the book he was holding. "Mamoru… that book… what is it?" 

Mamoru looked at the book. "I've never seen it before… and I've read nearly every book in this library." He looked at the cover. In elegant silver writing, the title read, "_The Fall of the Silver Millennium._" "The Fall of the Silver Millennium?" 

"What? Is that the title?" Zoisite asked. Mamoru opened it and flipped through the pages. 

"There's nothing in it! The pages are all blank!" he exclaimed. 

"Wait… no they're not." Kunzite said, taking the book. "The first page… but it's only two lines."

"What do they say?" Nephrite asked. 

"_Unto the elements were they sent… the ones they themselves commanded,_" Kunzite read. As he finished, Nephrite gave a startled cry and took the book. 

"Kunzite! There is more… wait! It is different from what you just read… I cannot read what you did." 

"Well, what does it say?" Zoisite demanded. 

"_But now the time has come… the time of the awakening._" Peering over his shoulder, Zoisite's eyes widened.  

"Nephrite! While you were reading, more writing appeared!" 

"Well, read it then!" Nephrite said, thrusting the book at the other man. 

"_Descendants of the shittenou and the son of the King, now go._" Jadeite took the book. "More?" Zoisite asked. Jadeite nodded.

"_Awaken the Senshi and reclaim your destinies_," he intoned. Knowing what was to come, he passed the book to Mamoru.  

"_Sii' i'coiasira ten'cuiva._" A whirring sound filled the air as nine panels on the walls flipped to reveal nine pictures. In the very middle of the room, a pedestal rose, bearing nine caskets. The five men turned in a slow circle to survey the paintings. As Mamoru completed his circle, he noticed the other four had stopped, and each approached one painting in particular. He shook his head slightly and approached Zoisite. 

He was staring at the painting of a blue-haired girl. She was sitting in a simple wooden chair holding a blue book. Three ornate wands rested on the small table beside her, and a blue lyre beside those. Behind her, beautiful ice sculptures glittered. On the floor next to her was a pile of books that reached her knees. She was dressed in a sailor fuku, with a blue collar, a blue skirt, and a sapphire in each ear, as well as the middle of her tiara. Her blue boots reached almost to her knees, with a small heel. White gloves graced her arms, reaching just past her elbows with three blue bands around the end of each. Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled sweetly at the viewer. Mamoru could see the intelligence behind those blue orbs. On a gold bar on the bottom frame was inscribed "_Sailor Mercury._" "I feel like I've seen her before…" Zoisite murmured. Mamoru shook his head briefly and turned to Jadeite. 

The other blonde was gazing at the girl with long black hair, with hints of deep purple. She was kneeling in front of a small fire, hands held in a meditative position. Beside her lay three decorated wands, like in the first painting, except these were red, as was her uniform. Red high heels could just be seen behind her. A crimson arrow floated just above the flames. Her violet eyes looked seriously at the watcher, as if analysing them. She was as beautiful as the previous girl, but, unlike Sailor Mercury, what showed most in her eyes was spirit. You could tell this girl was not someone to mess with. Jadeite seemed completely captivated by this girl as he reached out and ran a hand over the engraved gold bar, reading: "_Sailor Mars._" "She's… beautiful," he whispered softly as Mamoru turned to Nephrite.

This time the girl wore green. Her wavy brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, with a few wisps trailing down beside her ears. A rose stud decorated each ear, glinting softly. She stood in an attack pose, hands prepared to launch a blow, feet poised for perfect balance. Her lace-up green boots reached just past her ankles. Her three wands lay in a triangle next to her, while a green wreath hovered above her head. Her emerald eyes sparkled, and in the background a hint of lightening crackled through the air. Mamoru could easily see the power in the girl; in the way she held herself, and the way she stared almost challengingly at the viewer. "_Sailor Jupiter_" was inscribed on the bottom of the frame. "Jupiter… why do I think I know you?" Nephrite murmured. Mamoru bit his bottom lip slightly, turning to Kunzite. 

"_Sailor Venus_" was the object of Kunzite's attention. Her fuku was a vibrant orange, and her golden hair sparkled in the sunlight. Her sweet blue eyes glittered as she smiled happily. Seated in a meadow of flowers, she held a heart-shaped wreath in her right hand while her yellow wands lay by her feet. Two birds sat on her left side. *_Lovebirds,_* Mamoru thought, though how he knew that he wasn't quite sure. A topaz glinted in her tiara and on each ear. A small gold flower was tucked into the ankle strap of her pretty little shoes. Her left hand rested next to the hilt of a sword, it's blade winking in the sunlight. Laying on her other side, a white cat stretched, the gold crescent moon on it's forehead glinting. "Sailor Venus… who are you?" Kunzite asked softly. 

Mamoru turned again… and stopped dead. On the wall opposite him was a painting of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Clad in a pure white dress with slightly puffed shoulders; her long blonde hair done in the strangest style: two odango-like buns on either side of her head, with pigtails flowing down from them. Her crystal blue eyes held him enthralled as her sweet rosebud lips curved in a sad smile. Above them, a gold crescent moon glittered. Beside her sat a small black cat, with a crescent moon on its forehead like the one with Sailor Venus. A full moon floated over her head, glowing silver. Hovering a little way above her cupped hands was a silver crystal. It seemed to pulse gently in the light. Beside her, on a wooden table, rested a wand with a gold crescent moon on it. "Who are you… and why do I feel like I know you?" he whispered. 

"The Princess Serenity," Kunzite intoned softly, coming up behind him with the other three. Mamoru half turned questioningly, and Kunzite pointed out the engraved gold bar along the bottom frame. 

"Who are the other four?" Mamoru asked, turning to the paintings on the opposite wall. The first was of a young girl, no more than 13. Her fuku was purple, with a deep maroon bow on her chest. An opaque white stone decorated the middle of her tiara, glinting softly in the light, as did the sharp metal blade on top of a long pole she held: a glaive. Her purple boots reached her knees, like Mercury's. Her shoulder-length black hair framed her face perfectly, her amethyst eyes looking seriously out at them. The darkness behind her glinted with tiny stars. Despite the fact she was so young, the artist had captured in the girl a sense of real power. "_Sailor Saturn_" was the name of this girl.  

The next painting held a tomboyish girl, with short blonde hair. Her fuku was deep blue, almost black with a yellow bow. She stared down challengingly out at the men, her head lifted high. Behind her, a mountain was in the process of shattering. Held in her right hand was a slightly curved sword, with an ornate gold hilt, and three jewels embedded in the blade.  Her dark boots laced up to the ankle. At a single glance you could tell this girl was not one you wanted to mess with. As with Jupiter, an aura of power surrounded her. The gold bar on the bottom frame read "_Sailor Uranus._"

Following Uranus's painting was "_Sailor Neptune_", an aqua-haired beauty. She sat on a rock in the sea, the waves lapping gently at the base. Her fuku was a very deep blue-green, with the laces of her boots snaking up her ankles. She smiled softly at the viewer, her deep sea-coloured eyes looking slightly sad. A violin rested in her lap, and in her right hand she held an aqua mirror. Her white gloves reached a little way past her wrists, with bands round the ends the same colour as her fuku. A tragic beauty she looked, yet… like the others before her, an aura of indescribable power was with her. 

The final painting was "_Sailor Pluto_". The woman was beautiful, old… yet at the same time, ageless. Her long black-green hair reached her knees, falling past her skirt: black this time. Her light maroon eyes stared out with an authoritive air as her red, shield-shaped earrings glittered. In her left hand, she held what looked like a massive key. On top of the key was a red orb, glinting softly. She was standing in front of an ornately decorated door, with a light green path leading to it. Behind the door, colours mixed and swirled around each other in a maelstrom of mystery. She stood impressively tall, the slight heel on her knee-length black boots aiding it only slightly.  "Who are these girls?" Mamoru asked. "And… _why do I feel like I know them all_? Especially," he turned to face Serenity again, "Her."

"We all want to know the answer to that one, Mamoru," Kunzite said. "The one called Sailor Venus… when I look at her picture… I get the strangest sense of déja-vu." 

"Like me with Jupiter, Jadeite with Mars, and Zoisite with Mercury," Nephrite nodded. 

"This is too weird," Jadeite murmured. 

"Maybe these chests can tell us something," Zoisite, ever the brains of the outfit, headed over to the nine caskets and scanned them briefly. Mamoru bit his lip slightly and turned to the book he still held. He flipped it open and glanced at the now-full pages. Jadeite walked over to Zoisite, still examining the caskets. Each one had a stone in the lid corresponding to the jewel the girls had in their tiaras, but the last one had a crescent moon inset into it. Zoisite picked up the first one, with the sapphire, and opened it gingerly. 

Inside was a sapphire crystal, slightly larger than the palm of his hand. He ran his hand over it lightly, and felt a shiver of power go up his arm. "Zoi? What is it? What's in there?" Jadeite asked. Zoisite turned the casket so he could see. "Pretty. What it is? Just a crystal?" 

A sharp intake of breath from Mamoru made them all turn to him, Zoisite first carefully setting the casket back in its place. "What is it, Mamoru?" Kunzite asked. Mamoru looked up at them all, his face sombre. 

"The reason the Dark Kingdom rules today." Zoisite and Jadeite both gave short exclamations of surprise at this, Nephrite narrowed his eyes and Kunzite looked troubled. 

"What do you mean?" Nephrite asked. 

"In the days of the Old Silver Millennium, the Moon Kingdom was ruled by Queen Serenity. It was a time of peace, and wonder… until the Dark Kingdom attacked. They laid siege to the Moon Castle and killed the Queen, taking from her the Imperium Silver Crystal… the Ginzuishou." 

"The Ginzuishou?" Jadeite asked, wide-eyed. Mamoru nodded.

"Yes. As I said, the Queen was defeated, but no-one knows what happened to her daughter: Princess Serenity." As one, they turned to stare at the portrait of Serenity on the far wall. "The Princess and her guardians, the Sailor Senshi, all vanished after the battle. The Dark Kingdom said they were killed… but no-one really knows." 

"Whoever painted these obviously knew them," Kunzite commented, "And loved them." 

"According to this, the Senshi and the princess were… _consigned to their elements_." Mamoru looked up. 

"_Unto the elements were they sent… the ones they themselves commanded,_" Kunzite murmured. Mamoru nodded again. 

"In those caskets are the crystals they took from the Senshi. Also there should be maps… that show _where they are_." The men all looked around, at the paintings then each other.

"Do you realise what this means?" Zoisite asked, in a whisper. "We have the means to find and free the Senshi! Mamoru," he said, turning to the man, "Weren't you saying this evening you were bored?" 

"Surely you don't mean… we go and find them?" Jadeite said, amazed. 

"That's exactly what I'm saying." 

"Slow down, everyone," Kunzite, the voice of reason, spoke up. "How can we be sure this is even real?" 

"How can it not be?" Nephrite asked. "The way we found it… the familiarity of this…" 

"The feeling I got when I touched the sapphire crystal…" Zoisite added. Kunzite bowed his head briefly. 

Zoisite went back to the pedestal and picked up the casket he had been examining before. Opening it again, he felt around the inside of the lid. Finally locating a hidden pouch inside, he slowly pulled out a tattered piece of parchment. "Here. Take a look at this," he said, spreading it out. On one side was the planet Mercury, with a certain area in the very North Pole highlighted. On the other side was the highlighted area in much more detail. "It's a perfect map. There," he pointed out the spot, "That's where she is. That's where Sailor Mercury is." 

"According to this, she is encased in a pillar of ice in the middle of the Mercurian North Pole," Nephrite said, taking the book from Mamoru. 

"Mars is in an ever-burning fire on her planet," Jadeite spoke up, examining the map from Mars' casket. Kunzite picked up Venus's. 

"Venus is in a temple in the middle of a desert on Venus." 

"Where's Jupiter?" Mamoru asked. Nephrite took up the casket and examined the map. 

"In the middle of a forest on a mountain in a thunderstorm." 

"What about the others?" Mamoru asked. The four friends each took up a new casket. 

"Saturn is in a silent wasteland."

"Uranus is buried in a cave network." 

"Neptune is in a cave in the ocean." 

"Pluto's in a time warp area." 

"All on their respective planets." 

"What about the Princess?" Mamoru opened the casket. It was empty. "Where's the crystal?!" 

"Maybe we need to wake the other Senshi first?" Zoisite wondered, coming up beside him. 

"Possibly," Kunzite said thoughtfully. 

"One way to find out," Jadeite grinned. 

"Right." Mamoru went into planning mode. "First. We need to find out all we can about the Senshi..."

("Which, judging by this, will be sweet f*** all," Jadeite murmured.

"Jadeite!" Nephrite said disapprovingly. 

"What?" Jadeite said cheekily.

"Language!" Nephrite retorted. Jadeite stuck his tongue out at him.)

"Next, we need to find some way to explain this to our mothers," Mamoru continued. 

"That part's easy," Zoisite spoke up. "We just tell them we're going on a journey of self-discovery, finding out what we want to do with our lives." Mamoru nodded. 

"Finally, we need equipment. Exactly what we're going to need to find and release each Senshi." 

"OK." Zoisite took over. "Jadeite and I will look for information about the Senshi.  Mamoru, you, Kunzite and Nephrite will gather as much information as you can about the areas where the Senshi are imprisoned, three each. You three will also be in charge of getting the equipment we need. And above all: we cannot mention this to _anyone_. Not a soul." Everyone nodded. "Let's get to it."

~~A/N: You made it to the end of Chapter One! Congrats! Now, please review I beg of you! Excuse bad rhyming!~~


	2. The Plans Are Set

~~A/N: Here we go, readers! Chapter Two! A MILLION thanks to all my reviewers!!!! Please, feel free to review again!~~ 

Disclaimer: I own nothing. *sulks* Wish I did…

Two weeks later, the men assembled in the secret chamber again. "So. What has everyone found out?" Mamoru asked.

Zoisite shook his head. "Nothing. Any traces of the Senshi have been lost or destroyed. More than likely the latter." 

"We've managed to find out some information about where the Senshi are," Kunzite spoke up. "In each case, the area is said to be haunted, or plagued with monsters, and many people have ventured in there, only a few ever returning." 

"Yeah, yeah, the old stories," Jadeite scoffed. 

"Do not scoff, Jadeite," Nephrite said warningly. "They may have some truth in them." 

"They probably speak of traps and illusions, placed there by the Dark Kingdom to stop anyone from finding and waking the Senshi," Zoisite mused. 

"Most likely," Mamoru agreed. "But: some good news from us. Everything is prepared." 

"Everything?" echoed Zoisite. 

"On each planet, I have left instructions regarding the equipment we will need for that expedition. Using the maps and rough estimates, I believe it will take us approximately a week to ten days to find and release each one. The Mercury trip is ready when we are." 

"That was quick," Jadeite commented. 

"Money, my dear Jadeite," Mamoru smirked slightly. "That's all you need." His mood turned serious. "When do we want to leave?" 

"As soon as possible," Kunzite said. Mamoru nodded. 

"Agreed. I say we leave in three days. That gives us plenty of time to pack all our things, and say goodbye. Remember: we are going on a journey of self-discovery." The other men nodded their agreement. "I will have a transport ship waiting for us at the Spacedock. We leave at nine o'clock in three days. Do not be late." 

********************************************

At eight in the morning on the day of departure, Mamoru was ready to go. Slinging his rucksack over his shoulder, he mentally catalogued its contents again. *_Should have everything,_* he thought as his mother arrived to bid him goodbye. 

"You needn't worry, mother," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Just be careful, my son," she replied. "And I hope you discover yourself on this journey." Mamoru bowed slightly, and walked calmly out to the transporter. Within a second he was beamed to the Spacedock. A transport attendant greeted him as he stepped off the platform. 

"Welcome to the Spacedock. May I ask if you are waiting for a ship to arrive, or depart?" 

Mamoru nodded. "I'm looking for the _Kirya_, has it arrived?" 

The man checked his clipboard. "It has. You are in the Chiba party, yes? This way." Mamoru followed the little man through the crowds of people until the gleaming bulk of the cruiser was in view. The attendant bowed slightly and scurried back to his post. Mamoru wandered down the corridors until he reached the quarters that would be his for the journey. Heaving his luggage onto the bed, he opened the largest suitcase and withdrew a small locked chest. Opening it carefully, he was please to see none of the crystals had been disturbed. All were as he had left them. He nodded once, and locked the chest again. Replacing it in the suitcase he wandered back into the hallway, before heading to the cargo bay. There he spent a good half an hour checking and double-checking the equipment stored there. 

Finally satisfied, he headed up to the main lounge. Flopping on a couch, he closed his eyes. Soft footsteps could soon be heard approaching, and he opened his eyes to see a pillow hurtling towards his face. He ducked just in time and it whacked into the back of the chair. Scowling at the laughing form of Jadeite in the doorway, Mamoru remarked, "Well at least you're not late."   

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jadeite replied airily, falling elegantly onto one of the other four couches in the room. 

"Got all your stuff organized?"

"Naturally." Mamoru snorted. "Any news of the others?" Mamoru looked up as Kunzite walked in.

"There is now." Jadeite twisted around to see the silver-haired man in the doorway.

"Kunz, good to see you." 

"Mamoru, Jadeite," Kunzite nodded. "Nephrite will be along in a minute. He's just putting his things in his room." As he finished speaking, Nephrite wandered in. 

"Where's Zoisite?" he asked. "I thought he'd be the first one here." Jadeite shrugged as the other two men sat down. A minute later, Zoisite came panting in. 

"Hello all…" he gasped falling onto the last couch. Mamoru laughed. 

"Zoi, why the rush?" The man looked up.   

"Like I was going to be late for this Mamoru!" Jadeite laughed.

"Zoi, you're still about twenty minutes early!" 

"So?" Zoisite blinked. Mamoru laughed as the pilot poked his head in. 

"Oh, you're all here already! Good. That means we can leave in five minutes, so prepare for takeoff!" He vanished again as the men rose and headed for the cabin. Strapping themselves in, they waited as the pilot made the final checks with the control tower, and prepped the engines. With a final nod, he engaged the thrusters, lifting the ship high into the air, shooting out of the atmosphere, bound for Mercury. 

*****************************************************

The journey to Mercury took three uneventful days.  The five men spent their time either poring over the maps and the book, or working out in the ship's gymnasium. The night before they arrived, they assembled in the main lounge for a final briefing. 

'OK," Mamoru began, "We land tomorrow. Remember, we are a group of bored rich kids looking for an adventure, that's what we're telling everyone." Nods all round. "Now, I suggest we make good use of these beds while we still have them it's going to get a lot rougher from here on in."

"I'll second that!" Jadeite laughed. Mamoru grinned.

"See you all on Mercury."

~~Ã/N: Again, thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing!!! 

Here be thanks:

Kitn: Here is more! And yes, it is going to be a long story!

Marni: Thanks! Here's more!

Tera Earth: Thanks heaps! Will do!

Sakura: Continuing!

Kaze : Thanks, I like the idea myself!

Sailor Guardian: Hey, a fellow Aussie! NEAT! You have the Manga?!? COOL!!

Astgal: Whoohoo! Here's mooooore!!

Lilian: They're all going together. Yeah, self-discovery fics are cool

Elle and Amber: Thanks!!!! I'll try not to centre too much on one couple.

Nabooru: Hey, you reviewed my Catsfic! Thanks for reading this too!

DoOdles: Here we go!

nova33: Yeah, Ami rocks! Another Aussie! Wicked!


	3. Arrival on Mercury

~~A/N: Wahaha! Chapter Three! Sorry this is short, but I wanted to start the trip in it's own chapter. It'll come soon, OK? Don't hurt me!~~

The ship landed perfectly in the Mercurian spaceport. Mamoru was first off the ship, and immediately saw to the unloading of the equipment. The other four dragged their assorted luggage onto hovertrolleys. Jadeite soon commandeered one of the waiting taxicabs, and within fifteen minutes the group was speeding towards their hotel, on the outskirts of the North Pole area. 

Arriving at the _Losa Kard Hotel_, they were met by the manager, Ryo Urawa. "Nice to meet you, young sirs," he greeted them. "What plans do you have for your stay, if I may ask?" 

"We're planning an expedition into the north pole," Mamoru answered, acting like a bored youth. The old man nodded.

"Not the first, either. Planning to find the legendary Sailor Mercury, are we?" The five looked startled. The manager nodded to himself. "Though so. You're not the first to try that either. I've seen dozens of expeditions set off to try and find her, and in 40 years, I've seen only 8 come back." 

"In a few days, you shall have seen nine," Mamoru announced. "And this one shall be successful." 

"Heard that one before, too." The old man shook his head. "Well, all I can do is wish you luck." He handed them their room keys and shuffled away. Mamoru shook his head as they lugged their equipment up to their rooms. Assembling in Mamoru's room, Jadeite was curious. 

"Hey Mamoru, do you think this manager guy actually knows something?" They considered this for a minute, until Kunzite spoke.

"No, I just think he's as tired of the Dark Kingdom as we are, but has seen too many people wander off in search of the Senshi to have any real hope of them returning." Nephrite nodded. 

"Still, he said eight expeditions had returned. We should talk to him at dinner, see what he knows of the terrain, and any wildlife."

"Or monsters," Zoisite added. Nods all round. 

"Speaking of dinner, we'd better head down," Jadeite grinned, standing and heading for the door. The other four just laughed and followed.

**********************************

Much to their annoyance, Urawa did not appear at dinner, but he did come up to their rooms later that night. "So. When do you leave?" he asked. 

"Tomorrow at dawn," Mamoru answered. Urawa nodded. 

"Do you really think you'll make it back?" 

"We'll be back," Jadeite said with a confident grin. Urawa shook his head. 

"I've heard plenty of stories about the monsters out there, you know. Seven-foot-tall creatures made entirely of snow, impervious to laser blasts, creatures than can cast spells, create illusions, even make men turn on each other."

"These monsters… can anything kill them?" Kunzite asked. 

"Modern weapons can't," the manager replied, "But I've heard they fall before old-fashioned weapons, like swords." Mamoru nodded. 

"Shouldn't be a problem then." Off Urawa's sceptical look, he commented, "All of us are expert swordsmen, and we've kept up training in old weapons. I, for example, am pretty good with throwing daggers, Kunzite and Nephrite," he indicated them with a flick of his hand, "Are deadly with a handful of shuriken, Zoisite's an expert shot with a longbow, and you should never annoy Jadeite when he's got his crossbow!" 

Urawa raised an eyebrow. "You are well-prepared then. I can only hope you will return safely." 

Mamoru had a sudden thought. "When we bring her back, would you be willing to conceal her for us?" 

"_If_ you bring her back," Urawa said. "And what do you mean, conceal her?"   

"_When_ we get back," Mamoru repeated, "We'll need somewhere for her to stay until the rest of the Senshi are woken."

"That could be centuries," Urawa commented cynically. 

"Hardly. We're going after the others too." The old man stared. 

"If the Dark Kingdom found out about this…" 

'We'd get killed. But they aren't going to find out." Mamoru's eyes hardened. "Unless someone tells them." 

"You've no fear of that from me," Urawa said sadly. "Most of my family has been killed by the Dark Kingdom for one reason or another. I lost my respect for them and their ideals a long time ago. So, should you bring Mercury back, I will conceal her until the time comes for her to fight again." 

The men nodded. "We leave tomorrow at dawn," Kunzite said gravely. "We should return in under two weeks."

"May all the gods watch over you and keep you safe," Urawa rose and headed for the door. Turning, he said, "For the whole kingdom, I pray you succeed. For all our sakes." He left, closing the door softly behind him. The five sat in silence for a minute before Nephrite rose. 

"We should get our sleep. Remember, tomorrow at dawn. Do not be late." The others also rose and slipped away to their rooms.

~~A/N: Muaha! Next chapter: The Journey Begins!!!!

Here be thanks:

Nova33: Thanks for your second review!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Astgal: And here's anther one, my friend!

Shadinah: Here we go!

Lilian: Sorry, another shortie. But the adventure's only just beginning…

Pyro*Chic: Thanks oh pyro one!

Nabooru: Thanks for reviewing me agaaaaaain!!

Happy Noodle Girl: Firstly: Looooooooove the name!!! Send thanks for the review!!!!!! More will come soon!!!


	4. The Journey Begins

~~A/N: Here we go! Chapter Four! Now we really start moving…~~ 

At dawn the next day, the five men stood outside the inn, making the final checks on their equipment. While Mamoru finished checking each snowspeeder, Kunzite secured his throwing stars in various pockets and flaps, while Nephrite did the same with his slightly larger discs. Jadeite was making sure his crossbow was ready to hand while Zoisite checked and rechecked his quiver of arrows, slinging his bow over his back. Swords were strapped on, and heavy cloaks donned. Mamoru looked up from his final check and nodded. He leapt onto the first speeder, while Kunzite and Zoisite took the second and Nephrite and Jadeite the last. As he took up position, Zoisite turned and saw Urawa in the doorway. The old man smiled and nodded, and Zoisite threw him a salute as Kunzite gunned the engine, and they took off into the white wastes.  

They rode in single file: Kunzite took the lead, with Zoisite keeping a constant eye on their surroundings, bow in hand ready to fire if he had to. Mamoru rode next, alone, while Nephrite drove the last, Jadeite poised with crossbow at the ready. Zoisite scanned the endless white wastes with a warrior's eye, searching for any sign of movement. *_We come, Mercury,_* he thought. *_We come for you._*

For half the day they travelled in silence, each man with his own thoughts. Suddenly, Zoisite tapped Kunzite on the shoulder, and raised a clenched fist. Obediently, the speeders slowed and stopped, each man reaching for his weapon. "What is it, Zoi?" Mamoru asked, drawing a throwing dagger from his pocket. 

"Over there," came the reply, and a point. Zoisite stood silently, targeting the unknown enemy. He sensed the others straining their eyes to see what it was. He tensed, feeling it draw nearer. 

"I can't see anything," Mamoru frowned. "Are you sure…" He was cut off as a roar split the air, as _the snow itself_ seemed to rise up and hurl itself towards them. Jadeite yelled as he grabbed his crossbow, but Zoisite was faster, loosing his arrow at the snarling mass of white. The projectile found its mark, and the creature jerked backwards, falling to the ground. Jadeite leapt lightly off the speeder and approached the thing gingerly, crossbow at the ready. 

"What _was_ that thing?" he asked, prodding it with the tip of his weapon. 

"I believe they're called _snow dancers_," Zoisite said, coming up beside him. "They're not all that dangerous if you have the right weapons. It's the U-Tahimes you have to watch out for. They are the ones that possess the power of illusion, that can make men uncontrollable, and attack anyone."

"Right." Mamoru nodded. "Everyone, make sure you keep a sharp eye out." They remounted the speeders and sped off. 

******************************************

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. As darkness began to fall they set up camp. The two-and three-man tents they had brought with them could be converted into a single five-man tent, which was very speedily erected, none of the men wanting to try it after the sun had set. After their sparse dinner was consumed, Jadeite had a question.

"Zoi?

"Yeah?"

"How did you know that snow dancer thing was there? I was looking at the same place you were, and I could only see snow." 

"You're not the only one who wants to know that one Jadeite," Kunzite said, looking concernedly at the younger man.  

"I… I don't know," Zoisite answered hesitantly. "I could… _feel_ something evil when I stopped us, and then… I could just see it, I can't explain why." He sounded frustrated as he said it. Zoisite was one who prided himself on knowing the answers to the questions. Mamoru bit his lip thoughtfully.  

"Well, whatever it was, it served us well today." 

Nephrite, who had been sitting silently in thought, spoke up suddenly. "Could it have something to do with the Senshi imprisoned here?"

"Nani? What do you mean?" Zoisite asked. 

"We carry her crystal, yes? Maybe… it or she is helping us."

"Possibly. Whatever it is, luck, fortune or divine intervention, let's hope it lasts."

"Amen to that," Kunzite said solemnly. He looked towards the door of the tent. "It's getting dark. We should probably get some sleep."

"Agreed," Mamoru nodded. Zoisite crawled over to sit near the door. 

"I'll stay up and keep first watch." 

"I'll take second," Jadeite offered. 

"Third," Nephrite said. 

"Fourth," Kunzite.

"So I'll take last," Mamoru nodded. "Goodnight then." With that, he and the other three crawled into their sleeping bags. Soft snoring soon filled the tent, courtesy of Jadeite, who was sleeping on his back again. Zoisite couldn't help a grin when Kunzite rolled over and poked the snorer hard in the side. Jadeite merely shifted over onto his side without even waking up. Shifting into a slightly more comfortable position, Zoisite's eyes fell on his pack. Reaching out, he snagged a strap and pulled it towards him. Reaching into the centre part, he withdrew the casket containing the sapphire crystal. He opened it and stared at the crystal. *_What is this feeling I get every time I see or touch this?_* he wondered. *_Why do I feel I _have_ to find her? Are we connected in some way? What is it, then, this feeling? Who are you, Sailor Mercury, that you have this power over me?_* He sighed and looked at the door. *_I do know this. the sooner I find you, the sooner I will know the answers to my questions. I will find the knowledge I seek._*  He sat back and glanced at his watch. Still a while before he had to wake Jadeite for his watch. He closed his eyes and dropped into a light mediative trance: deep enough to calm his mind, light enough so he could hear anything approaching. 

Thoughts and images swirled through his mind. He saw the map from Mercury's casket: each geographical feature plotted in miniature, the position of the small camp clearly marked. Surrounding the camp was a _ring of blue light_, and coming off from that was a blue line, running off into the frozen wasteland. He followed the line until it came to a great pillar of crystalline ice…

His eyes snapped open. *_Damn!_* He shook his head and checked the time. *_Wakey wakey Jadeite._* Zoisite extended a foot and not-so-gently nudged the other man's sleeping form. A muffled curse from Jadeite told him he was awake. Zoisite laughed silently and made his way to his sleeping bag as Jadeite took up his vacated position at the door. Flashing the other man a cheeky grin, Zoisite was asleep within seconds.  

Again he was looking at the map. This time, he followed the blue line, flying along it. Again the crystalline ice pillar came into view. He landed at the base, and went up to two great doors carved into it. Opening them, he strode into a corridor. He followed the corridor down, following the twists and turns, until it turned sharply and opened out into a great chamber. In the middle of the room was a square pillar. Three sides of it were the same white crystal ice, but the fourth was clear…

_There she was, inside the pillar. Sailor Mercury. She floated, surrounded by water, with tiny shards of ice in it. They swirled around her in a constant dance, the ice occasionally cutting into her skin. When that happened, a thin line of blood would spill into the water, and she would throw back her head and give a silent cry of pain. The blood would be absorbed into the water, and the wound would heal. Zoisite moved towards the clear panel and rested his hand on it… it was freezing. His gaze searched her face as her head drifted upwards… suddenly her eyes snapped open and locked with his…_

~~Waha! CLIFFHANGER!!! I love being evil… *grins*

Here again, be thanks!

Pyro*Chic: And the game is on! Here we go! And thanks for reviewing me AGAIN!

Astgal: Oh, yes, there will be fighting…

Kitn: Ooo!! Well, here's more for ya!

CountessMeliara: Constructive criticisms noted. Thanks.

Serenity's Rose: Next chapter has arrived!

Nabooru: Oh, yes, swords, precious… MULTIPLE REVIEWER!!! Mesa love you!

Persephone: Waiting for Usagi? *grins*

Nova33; Why Mercury isn't going to come is was in last chappie.


	5. The First Battle

~~A/N: Moshi moshi faithful readers! Here cometh Chapter 5! Hope you all liked the last chapter! As always, suggestions, constrictive criticisms, and sweet fudgy things welcome. Just a note: I have exams coming up soon so this story may not be updated for a while. Just letting you know. Assuming someone is actually reading this of course. Only three reviews this chapter… L Ah well. Forth, brave readers!~~ __

Zoisite woke with a jolt as Jadeite kicked him. "That's for last night," the other man grumbled. Zoisite sat up with a silent curse. 

*_Damnit Jadeite, did you have to wake me just then?! She had opened her eyes, curse it! She looked about to speak!_* 

"Zoi?" Mamoru asked. "Something up?" Zoisite shook his head, trying to clear it.

"No. I'm fine." Mamoru looked slightly sceptical, but let it drop. Kunzite smiled softly as he packed up his sleeping bag. 

"Come. We have much ground to cover." 

*_Speed is what we need now,_* Zoisite thought. *_Before these questions drive me mad._*

Within a very short space of time the camp was packed up and the speeders were once again racing across the plains. This time Zoisite drove, his face set in a determined mask, not even glancing at the map, as the way was burned onto his eyelids. Kunzite stood behind him, his grey eyes scanning their surroundings. Jadeite again stood at the back of the last speeder, crossbow at the ready. Mamoru navigated from the centre, but Zoisite paid no attention to the instructions sent to him from time to time. If anything, he anticipated them. Kunzite glanced down at the younger man from time to time, growing more and more concerned as the day wore on. When Mamoru ordered a break for a brief lunch, Kunzite practically had to drag him off the speeder. 

"We've got no time to spend idling Kunzite, " Zoisite told him in a low voice. 

"True, but we cannot ride all day without a rest," Kunzite admonished gently. 

"You don't understand, Kunzite, I _need_ to find her. I have so many questions, the answers to which only she can give."

"I understand you have questions Zoisite, so do I, but…" Zoisite cut him off. 

"You still don't understand. But you will. When it is your turn." With that, Zoisite turned and went back to the speeder to wait. Kunzite shook his head slightly and headed over to the others, sitting down beside Mamoru, who had overheard the conversation.

"What was that all about?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know." Kunzite glanced back at the lone figure waiting for them. "It's like… overnight he's become obsessed with finding her. It's… weird." 

"Maybe he knows something we don't," Mamoru suggested quietly. 

"Maybe. He said I would understand when it was my turn. Whatever that means." Kunzite frowned slightly as Jadeite bounced to his feet. 

"Hey, you two!" he called. "Are you going to sit around all day or are we going to get moving?" Nephrite chuckled under his breath as he gathered everything together, replacing it on the speeders. 

"And it's about time, too," Zoisite murmured as he leapt onto the speeder, taking up position on the back. Unslinging his bow, he nocked an arrow and stood ready. Kunzite shot the younger man a worried look before lightly leaping into his place. Suddenly Zoisite's head snapped up as Nephrite fell from his position on the back of his speeder. 

"Nephrite! What is it?!" Kunzite called, alarmed. 

"Something's… in my head… trying to control…" Nephrite choked out, trying to stand. Zoisite whirled, taking in the snowy landscape in a second. He raised his bow and aimed as Jadeite grabbed his crossbow, aiming at a hint of purple behind a mass of white bearing down on them. 

"Snow dancers!" he called to Kunzite, as Nephrite managed to rise, hands groping for his sword. 

"Hold him down! There's an U-Tahime trying to control him!" Zoisite yelled, firing into the group of snow dancers. One shrieked and fell, but another took its place as Mamoru and Kunzite each seized one of Nephrite's arms and bore him, struggling, to the ground. Jadeite shot another snow dancer, swiftly reloading and firing again. Zoisite fired another two arrows, taking down another dancer, clearing the way to the U-Tahime. Sighting down the shaft of the arrow, he released it as Jadeite launched another bolt straight into the purple creature's heart. The two missiles both struck at the same time, one in the head, one in the heart. The creature gave a horrible scream as it fell, setting off the snow dancers, which gave their own cries of pain as they fell to Zoisite's arrows. Jadeite fired one last shot, felling the final snow dancer as Mamoru and Kunzite raised their heads, relaxing their grip on Nephrite's arms. 

Mamoru sighed, relieved, as he pushed himself up off the snow. "Well," Kunzite remarked, getting to his feet, "That was a bit of fun." 

"Speak for yourself," Nephrite murmured through a face full of snow. "Thanks for that."

Mamoru looked serious. "We're going to have to watch out for those. Neph could easily have killed us had we not moved swiftly." Nephrite bowed his head slightly. Mamoru nodded to Jadeite and Zoisite. "Nice shooting, you two." Jadeite grinned cheekily, but it didn't reach his eyes. 

"Come on, we need to get going again," Zoisite said, jumping back onto the speeder. "We've lost too much time here." The other men quickly remounted the speeders and took off. 

************************************

The rest of the day passed without incident. As night fell, the tents were pitched. Zoisite had been silent ever since the battle, and Kunzite was getting increasingly worried. 

"Zoisite, are you sure you're alright? You've been so quiet lately."

"It's nothing, Kunzite, I'm fine," Zoisite reassured him. Kunzite raised an eyebrow. "Seriously. I'm fine."

"Watches the same as last night?" Jadeite asked. Nods all round. "Good. And Zoisite if you kick me awake again, I will kick *you* to Kingdom Come."

Zoisite laughed and took up his place at the door. "I'd like to see you try, Jadeite. Good night." Jadeite rolled his eyes as he slithered into his sleeping bag. 

"G'night."

Zoisite smiled softly as he watched his friends fall asleep, but his mood turned serious as he again reached into his pack for the sapphire crystal. Holding it in his cupped hands, he stared into it. He could not help but wonder... *_Tonight, when I sleep… will I dream of her again? This time… will she speak to me? I can only hope._* He sighed and reached for one of his quivers, and spent a while checking and rechecking the feathers and points. At last his watch was over, and he woke Jadeite by the simple expedient of whapping him upside the head. 

"That's how you're waking up tomorrow morning, count on it," Jadeite groaned, clambering out of his sleeping bag and taking up the watch position. Zoisite merely grinned and settled down to sleep.

Once again he followed the blue line to the pillar. He sped through the corridors towards Mercury. This time, when he rounded the final corner, the room had changed. Large crystal blocks dotted the room, presumably for displaying something, yet they were bare… he searched over each one but found nothing, until he came to the last one. Inside were the three wands he had seen in her painting, and the blue lyre, all sealed in ice. He frowned slightly: how had they sealed those in? He shook the question from his head and turned to the trapped Senshi. 

He placed his hand on the clear glass panel as he had done before and again her head slowly drifted up. Her cerulean eyes snapped open to lock with his… yet she did not speak. She raised her hand and placed it against his, only the glass stopping them from touching, a soft smile curving her lips. "Mercury," he begged silently, "Speak to me!" Still she remained silent. "You know we are coming," he whispered. "You can feel us near." 

She nodded slowly and opened her lips, softly uttering one word: "Yes…"

Zoisite's eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright. Jadeite scowled. "Bah. You moved."

"Go figure," Zoisite replied softly, his mind still on Mercury. *She spoke! She knows we come!* He shook his head briefly and looked up. "Come on then! We have precious little time." 

As Nephrite, Jadeite and Mamoru finished loading everything, Kunzite took the opportunity to talk to Zoisite alone. "Zoi, what the hell is wrong?"

"What do you mean, Kunzite?" Zoisite asked, eyebrows raised; a picture of innocence. 

"You've been acting strangely ever since that first attack. What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing! Seriously, Kunzite, I'm fine! Just a little edgy. That's all."

Kunzite's eyes narrowed. "Not buying it, Zoi." The younger man opened his mouth to say something, but Mamoru interrupted.

"Come on you two! Hurry it up! At this rate we'll never get there!" 

'Coming!" Zoisite called and raced over to his speeder, leaping into the driver's seat. 

"This conversation isn't over Zoisite," Kunzite murmured as he made his way to the vehicle. "Before this day is over, I will have some answers," he softly vowed, leaping up onto the back of the speeder. Zoisite gunned the engine and the group sped off.

~~A/N: Again, thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing!

Here, as usual, be thanks: 

Nabooru: Cliffie answered! They're getting closer…

K. Wyse: Zoi with bow and arrows reminds you of Legolas? Hey… I think you're right… yum.

Ocianne: *bows* Thanks for that! The itals were meant to be a dream-sequence. Yeah, I love these pairings.


	6. Mercury Awakens

~~A/N: Yes, my dear readers, THE CHAPTER HAS ARRIIIIIIIVED!!!!!!!! Now Read On!~~

Zoisite led that day, driving at breakneck speeds. Several times, Mamoru called to him to slow down, or he'd burn out the speeder, but the younger man paid him no heed. They travelled uninterrupted for three hours, seeing nothing but snow. 

Suddenly, Jadeite gave a loud cry and fell from the speeder. Nephrite called to Mamoru and Zoisite, swinging his speeder around to pick up the fallen man, the others following suit. He came to a halt alongside Jadeite and waited for the younger man to get back up, but he didn't move. Zoisite's eyes widened and he leapt from the driver's seat. "Nephrite, get back! He's being controlled by an U-Tahime!" Sure enough, Jadeite rose jerkily, hands groping for his sword. Zoisite felled him to the ground with a flying tackle, knocking the sword from his hands. Kunzite reached for his shuriken and searched for the right target…

There. A hint of purple behind the white! Aiming, he hurled the throwing star, but a snow dancer got in the way, shrieking horribly as the star was buried deep in its flesh. Kunzite cursed and spun another two towards the creatures, taking both out. Beside him, Nephrite had drawn his sword and was hacking his way towards the U-Tahime. Meanwhile Mamoru had taken up Zoisite's longbow. While nowhere near as good a shot as Zoisite himself, considering the amount of creatures around them, he figured he had a good chance of at least fatally wounding some of them.

At the same time, Zoisite was having trouble keeping Jadeite down. The younger man was struggling for all he was worth, kicking and punching, but Zoisite held him firm. "Damnit, Jadeite, stop it!" he cried, narrowly missing another punch aimed for his nose. Another punch managed to connect, and Zoisite saw stars for a second. As he shook away the stars, he recalled a lesson Kunzite had once taught him. 

Every person has several pressure points on their bodies. If you can hit one with just the right amount of force you can easily knock a man unconscious. With too much power, however, you could kill someone. The best one to hit is at the base of the neck, where the spinal cord meets the brain stem.

"Thanks for that Kunzite," he murmured, reaching a hand round the back of Jadeite's neck and pressed his thumb to the pressure point. Jadeite gave a strangled cry and fell limp. Zoisite quickly checked his friend's pulse and was relieved to see he was still alive. Dragging him behind a speeder, Zoisite drew his sword, flipped over the speeder and charged into the fray. Two sweeps of the sword and two Snow Dancers lost their heads. Looking around wildly, he saw Mamoru acquitting himself well with his longbow, while Kunzite, having abandoned the shuriken, and Nephrite wreaked havoc with their blades. 

"Zoisite!" Kunzite roared above the sounds of battle. "Where's Jadeite?!"

"He's OK!" Zoisite yelled back. "He's unconscious behind the speeders!" 

"Good work!" came the reply. Zoisite hacked his way towards Mamoru. The other man threw him the bow and drew his sword. Zoisite caught the bow and sheathed his own sword, lifting a quiver off the speeder. Drawing and nocking an arrow, he aimed for the U-Tahime. 

"Let's end this right now," he muttered, firing straight at the purple mass. The missile struck true, and the U-Tahime fell. At this, the snow dancers fled, shrieking. Zoisite smiled grimly and picked off the fleeing creatures one by one. 

"Where've you been all this time?" Nephrite said, laughing humourlessly. 

"Trying to keep Jadeite from killing me," Zoisite replied blackly. Nephrite shivered. "I remembered one of those self-defence lessons Kunzite taught us years ago: about the location of pressure points." Kunzite nodded. 

"Clever." A groan from behind the speeder caught their attention, as Jadeite crawled out from behind it. 

"Ow! What the hell did you do to me, Zoi?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Just knocked you out," Zoisite explained. "Otherwise you probably would have killed me. Or someone else." Jadeite winced. Zoisite looked around at the mess. "Come on. We've lost too much time." He leapt back onto his speeder and looked over his shoulder at the others. "Hurry up!"

"Give us a minute, Zoi!" Mamoru said indignantly. "We just finished a fight, in case you haven't noticed!"

"Come on!" Zoisite pleaded. "We can cover another fifty miles before nightfall!" 

"Alright, that's it," Kunzite said, marching over to the younger man. "What the HELL is wrong with you Zoisite?! You've become obsessed with finding the girl ever since that first battle! I want answers, Zoisite and I want them now!"

"You're not the only one who wants to know," Mamoru said, coming up beside Kunzite. 

"I'll tell you when we stop for tonight," Zoisite said, gunning the engine. "We're just losing time now."

"Zoisite…" Kunzite began, but the younger man cut him off.

"Kunzite! Hurry up! I'm not waiting much longer!"

"Fine. But I WILL get some answers tonight, Zoisite," Kunzite said, taking his place on the back of the speeder. "Count on it." Zoisite nodded as Mamoru slipped onto his speeder, and Nephrite climbed into the driver's seat of the last one as Jadeite dragged himself onto the back. As soon as he was seated, Zoisite gunned the engine and sped away. 

*****************************************************

Nightfall came all too swiftly for Zoisite. As soon as the tents were set up and dinner consumed, Kunzite sat down in front of him and fixed him with a stern gaze. "OK, Zoisite. Talk." 

"What do you want to know?" Zoisite asked, somewhat flatly.

"Everything. From the top," Kunzite replied. "Why have you become so obsessed with finding Mercury?" Zoisite looked at him.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Kunzite nodded. "Very well. Every night since we entered these wastelands, I have dreamed of her. Three times have I dreamed. Of the place she is held. And twice, Kunzite, I have seen her." Now he had everyone's full attention. "She lies deep in a crystal tower. When I dream, I pass through the doors and down, down through a labyrinth of tunnels. I turn sharply at the end, and the corridor opens into a room. At the far end, there she is. She floats in a pillar, in freezing water. Ice swirls around her. Sometimes it will cut her. Last night she spoke to me. She knows we are coming." Jadeite whistled softly. 

"The ice she floats in… you said it cuts her?" Mamoru asked. Zoisite nodded.

"Now do you see the reason for all this haste? She knows we are coming, and she is in pain. Her torment has continued for five hundred years and I mean for it not to last another minute!" He looked around defiantly. "Tomorrow, we will reach her, and before the sun sets I mean to have released her." Mamoru nodded. 

"Then let us get some sleep now, so that tomorrow will come faster. Zoisite I think you'd better take first watch again." Zoisite nodded. "Good night then." Soon the tent was silent. 

Zoisite sighed. *The morning will not come swiftly enough for me,* he thought. The time dragged by. Zoisite began to think about various strategies the group could use to get back into the town undetected. *We cannot be seen returning. We have to be just another group that went into the wilds and did not return.* Finally it was time. *Now, how should I wake Jadeite this time?* he thought, grinning. He decided on just bopping him on the head would work. It did. Jadeite sat up with the usual array of soft curses and took up watch position. Zoisite settled down in his sleeping bag and was soon asleep.

For the final time he followed the line to the tower. Again he raced down the corridors to where Mercury was imprisoned. Walking up to the pillar, he placed his hand on it again. Her head drifted up and her eyes opened. "Tomorrow, Mercury," he promised. "Tomorrow we will reach you. By the time the sun sets tomorrow, you will be free. This I swear." She smiled at him, but remained silent. 'Once we have freed you, we will head back to the town. The innkeeper there has promised to hide you until the others have been woken. Once we have all the Senshi freed, we will come for them all. We will fly you to the Moon. Then Serenity can take the crown she should have. You will be a Senshi again." He watched with bated breath as her lips opened.

"Now you have entered the danger zone. Snow Kaguyas guard the tower. They are more dangerous than the Snow Dancers or U-Tahime."

"Snow Kaguyas?" Zoisite asked.

"Yes. They have the power to create tempests: freezing winds of snow and ice. But they are very slow. Speed is your ally here." Zoisite considered this.

"So our best course of action would be not to stand and fight, but simply scythe through them?" Mercury nodded. Raising her head, she closed her eyes.

"Dawn approaches. Soon you must wake." Zoisite nodded. 

"Then I will see you tonight." Mercury smiled.

"Until tonight then…" 

Zoisite woke and sat up with a jerk, narrowly missing Jadeite's hand. "Bugger. Missed again!" Jadeite said, grinning. Zoisite slithered out of the bag and looked around. 

"Hurry. Speed is this day our ally."

"Did you dream again last night?" Mamoru asked. Zoisite nodded. 

"She told me as we approach the tower we will encounter things called Snow Kaguyas. They have the power to create winds of snow and ice. She said our best course of action is not to stop and fight, but rather scythe our way through them. Pedals to the metal." 

"Fastest drivers today then," Kunzite commented. 

"Definitely." 

Soon the group was on their way, speeding off on the final leg of the journey.

[I could be really evil and leave it here. But I won't.]

"Today, we don't stop for anything," Zoisite yelled above the roar of the engines. "Nothing!" The others roared their agreement as, over the white snow, the top of a tower came into view. "That's it! We're nearly there!" he yelled in jubilation. Just then the wind began to pick up, gusting quickly. 

"Snow Kaguyas!" Jadeite shouted. 

"If this wind keeps up we're going to be driving backwards!" Kunzite called. 

"Just a little farther! Then we can take them down!" Zoisite yelled from the front. "We've nearly reached them!" Behind him, Kunzite reached for his sword, and took Zoisite's from his friend's scabbard. 

"She said scythe through them," he howled, "And that's what we're going to do!" On the back speeder Nephrite adopted a similar pose, with his and Jadeite's swords. Mamoru drew his sword and held it in his right hand, steering with the left. Zoisite flattened the pedal.

"For Mercury!!!" he screamed, charging forward through the mass of snow creatures. Kunzite roared and Nephrite howled as they swung their blades, cutting into flesh time and time again. Zoisite, Jadeite and Mamoru drove at terrific speeds, ignoring the shrieks of the creatures flung aside by their speeders. Zoisite kept his head down, concentrating on the growing spire of the tower ahead of them. "Nearly through!" he shouted about the din. "Come on, baby," he whispered to his speeder. "Nearly there… stay with me…" 

With a final burst they broke through the ring of Snow Kaguyas, speeding away from the mess. "They're still following us!" Nephrite called. 

"Jadeite! Swap places!" Mamoru called. Jadeite nodded as Nephrite manoeuvred himself close enough to take control of the speeder. Jadeite slipped out of the seat as Nephrite slipped in, and crawled to where his crossbow was strapped. Getting to his knees, he began firing, taking the creatures down one by one. 

"They're slowing down!" he reported after a minute.

"We're getting too close to Mercury!" Zoisite yelled triumphantly. "Look!" Sure enough, there was the tower, growing larger every second. Zoisite pulled his speeder to a sizzling halt at the doors. "We're here…" he said softly. 

"Zoisite, can we take the speeders inside?" Mamoru asked.

Zoisite nodded. "The corridors are just wide enough. We won't be able to move very quickly though," he said, frustrated. 

"You have the map?" 

"And the crystal," Zoisite said, producing them both from his pack. He held the crystal in front of the doors and they opened silently. The other four men exchanged looks and slowly brought the speeders around to the doors. Zoisite stepped in first, bearing the crystal ahead of him. Kunzite followed, driving the first speeder, Jadeite poised eagerly on the back. Mamoru drove the next one and Nephrite the last. Zoisite walked swiftly, having travelled this route before. The blue line was scorched into his eyelids, and he led them deeper and deeper into the maze. "We're nearly there…" he murmured softly, turning sharply. 

The four who had not seen the chamber before looked around in amazement. Zoisite, however, only had eyes for the pillar at the far end of the room…

There she was. Sailor Mercury, just like in his dreams. He walked towards her as if in a trance, his heart pounding madly. "Mercury…" he whispered. She looked just as beautiful as she had in his dreams and the painting in the secret chamber. 

"This is it, Zoi," Kunzite said softly, coming up behind him. Zoisite looked down at the crystal he held, then back at his friends. 

"All of you. Get behind one of those blocks. I don't know what's going to happen when she is released. The pillar could vanish, it could melt, it could shatter, I'm not sure. So I suggest you shift." Mamoru nodded. 

"Jadeite, get a fire going. She's going to be freezing. Nephrite, blankets, Kunzite, bandages." The men produced these from their packs and Jadeite started a small fire. They slipped behind their blocks and waited. Zoisite approached the pillar as he had done in his dreams. 

"Time to wake up, Mercury," he said softly, spotting the place on the top of a small pedestal beside the pillar. He took a deep breath and gently laid the crystal into its place. 

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the edges of the glass panel began to glow, brighter and brighter. Zoisite took a step backwards as the light became nearly blinding… inside the pillar Mercury's eyes shot open, locking with Zoisite's as the glass front began to crack. He covered his face with his cloak as the glass shattered and the icy water poured out in a great wave. He thrust his cloak away from his face just as Sailor Mercury fell from her place. He staggered as she landed in his arms, gently lowering her to the ground as his friends popped their heads up over their blocks. Brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He stared down into her eyes. Weakly, she raised one slim hand to gently touch his cheek. "Zoisite," she whispered, "You came for me…" Her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out as Mamoru dashed over, followed by the others. 

"Zoi?" Mamoru said, touching the younger man's shoulder. Zoisite blinked and snatched the blankets from Nephrite, swiftly wrapping them around the unconscious girl and carrying her over to the fire. Laying her down gently, he took the bandages from Kunzite. Thankfully, there was only one wound: a scratch along her left arm. He carefully wrapped the bandage around the injury, securing it firmly. 

"Zoisite, you're bleeding," Kunzite said, noticing the slash across the younger man's cheek. 

"It's nothing," Zoisite said, continuing to watch the girl. 

"Is something wrong?" Kunzite asked. Zoisite looked up at him, troubled. 

"She said my name Kunzite. How the hell did she know my name?" 

"You said you'd been dreaming of her, yes?" Nephrite said from across the fire. 

"Yes, but I never said my name!" Zoisite said. "How on earth could she know?"

 "We won't know that until she wakes up," Mamoru said, looking puzzled. "Let her rest, for now." 

"What did she say?" Jadeite asked. 

"She said, 'Zoisite, you came for me,'" he replied. At his words, Mercury stirred, groaning slightly. Zoisite raised his head. "Jadeite, get some food heating. She's bound to be hungry." Mercury groaned again and opened her eyes.

"Zoisite," she whispered again, looking into his eyes. Her head shifted slightly as she took in the others sitting around the fire. "Jadeite… Nephrite… Kunzite…" she saw Mamoru. "Endymion-sama…" She moved her arms, trying to sit up, but Zoisite placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, rest. You've just woken up after five hundred years in that place…" Mercury gasped.

"Five hundred years?!" Zoisite nodded. "Then you cannot be… yet you are so much like him… Zoisite…"

"That is in fact my name," he told her. "I am the 30th in my line to bear that name." She shook her head, dazed. "These questions can wait. You need to rest. Things will become clearer in the morning," he told her. *I hope,* he added mentally. Mamoru passed him a pillow, which he slipped under her head. "Sleep, Sailor Mercury. Sleep and heal." She smiled one more time and closed her eyes. 

"I suggest we get our sleep too," Nephrite advised softly. "I believe we will need it." The others nodded and took their bedrolls off the speeders. 

"I will stand watch for now," Zoisite heard himself say. "I need to think." The other men nodded and were asleep in very short order. He stared down at the sleeping girl and sighed softly._ *Tomorrow,* _he promised himself,_ *All my questions will be answered.*_

~~A/N: She is awake at last!!!!!

Here, as always, be thanks.

Kitn: They reach her at last!!

Nabooru: Here she is, my friend! And they're going in planetary order: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Moon last. Ah, you review again!!!!

Ocianne: *grins evilly* Yep, Kunzite's next!

nova33: Here is more! Thanks for another review!!

Pyro*Chic: *blinks* You… reviewed me… twice… for one… chapter… ME LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankyousomuch!!!


	7. Strange Dreams

~~A/N: IIIIIIIII'MMMM BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!! Yes, at long last, here is the next chapter!!!! I LIVE! Many apologies for the long delay! OK then, here we go!~~

Zoisite sat in silence as the others slept, never once taking his eyes from Sailor Mercury. A million thoughts raced through his mind, yet he was silent. Answers, more questions, half-formed hypotheses, possibilities… all whirling through his head. Finally it was Jadeite's turn to stand watch. Despite his fears he would never sleep, Zoisite slept quickly. 

***********************

He stood in a beautiful garden, next to a fountain. Water fell gently from the pitcher the statue in the middle held. The woman, smiling gently, actually looked a lot like Mercury…

"It's my mother," came a soft voice. He turned to see Mercury approaching, clad in a flowing periwinkle-blue dress. "Father had it made for her on their first wedding anniversary." 

"It's beautiful," Zoisite replied. "Like you." She blushed slightly.

"Father says I got my looks from her," she said. "And my brains from him. Every time he says that, Mother laughs and shoots him an impossible math problem, like what is the last digit of Pi, which he, of course, can't answer, and they both wind up laughing." Zoisite smiled as they sat down on the bench near the fountain. 

"Have you heard the rumours?" Mercury asked him. "They say an evil sorceress is gaining power, and is planning to attack the Moon Kingdom."

"I have heard them," he replied. "But for now, they are just that: rumours. Let us hope they stay that way." Mercury smiled and snuggled in closer to him…

The place faded to black… 

The garden faded in again… but this time darker, more sombre. Mercury again appeared, this time in shorts and a tank top. She was panting heavily, just come from training. "Zoisite!" she hailed him. He turned, his cloak swishing gently. "I didn't think you were leaving for another two days," she said, reaching him, and hugging him.

"I wasn't planning on it," he said regretfully. "But duty calls. Endymion has asked me to investigate increasing rumours of youma attacks in the northern countries. Kunzite is negotiating a trade agreement with Saturn, Jadeite is recovering after a training accident on Mars, and Nephrite is observing an important astrological phenomenon on Jupiter. He's promised me extra holiday time after I'm done." 

"You'd hope so," Mercury commented. "At least he gave you time to say goodbye."

"Yeah." He pulled her close. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Neither of them moved for a minute. Then Mercury said softly,

"Zoisite? I'm scared."

"So am I, my water Senshi. So am I. I'm scared there's going to be a war. Scared that you'll have to fight along with us. I don't want you to get hurt." 

"And I don't want to have to fight," Mercury replied. "But I am a Senshi. If there is a war, I will have to fight. I am a protector of the Moon Princess."

"I know," Zoisite replied. "I just don't want to risk losing you." Mercury pulled back slightly and looked deep into his eyes.

"You won't lose me." Zoisite smiled slightly.

"You're too strong for that."  She smiled again and they stood in silence together…

Again the scene faded to black… and faded in again… darker. Yet it was not night. A cloud of fear, doubt, despair hung over the scene.  

Zoisite stood in the garden in full military uniform, again beside the fountain, but this time, no water flowed from it. Soft footsteps announced Mercury's entrance. She stood beside him, clad in her Senshi fuku, again staring deep into his eyes. 

"It's coming at last," he said. "The war we've been dreading. The sorceress Beryl is preparing to loose her evil on the Moon Kingdom. Once we said they were only rumours. How I wish that had been all they were." 

"Soon I must travel to the Moon to prepare the defences for the royal family," Mercury said quietly. "I don't want to go. I'm frightened I'll never see you again." Zoisite sighed softly.

"I know. But," he said, his jade eyes staring into her sapphire ones, "Hear this now: I will always come for you. No matter where you are, I will find you. Through the doubts and confusions of this life, never doubt one thing: my love for you."

"Zoisite…" she whispered, as he pulled her close. He rested his chin on her head, breathing in the scent that was so uniquely his Mercury. 

"Everything will be all right in the end," he said. "You'll see. If it's not all right, it's not the end." Mercury looked up and smiled.  

"Thank you," she whispered. "For giving me hope." Zoisite moved his head back to stare into her eyes as he slowly brought his face closer to hers. She closed her eyes as their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss…

Zoisite's eyes snapped open. He looked over to the sleeping Senshi as the final pieces began to fall into place. *_Now_,* he thought, *_Now I understand_.*

~~A/N: Ooh! Just what does Zoisite understand? If you guess correctly, I'll give you a cameo in the next chapter!

Thanks go, as always, to my much-loved reviewers:

Nabooru: Yay! Me hope you hay with this one! I LOVE reviewers!

Kitn: Yes, Mercury is Found! Hope you like this chapter!

Pyro*Chic: Aww, thanks Pyro!!

NeverEndingQuest: For starters, nice name! For seconds: here's more!

nova33 : You're right there, more will be explained next chapter.

SnowKitten: Here's some more!

Shadinah: More for you, my friend!

Tangentsferret: *bows* Arigato!

Ocianne: Oh yes, just wait til Kunzite… *grins evilly.*

Kelly: More!

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Earth: Here's an update! Yeah, Venus is cool.

Gracelyn: *bows* Thankyou for that wonderful review! Yes, I'll give yours a read!

Fire Lady: Jadeite and Mars are after Venus and Kunzite, I'm going in planet order.


	8. Answers and Explanations

~~A/N: Well, people: HERE IT IS! Here finally will at least some questions will be answered!!! Apologies for it taking so long. Oh, and the winner of the cameo is… OCIANNE!!! Muchos congrats!!!! Your appearance has had to be moved to the next chapter because I didn't want to delay this chapter longer. But it will be there!

On to the story!!!!!!!!!!~~

Zoisite looked over at Mamoru, who was just waking Kunzite. "Has she stirred?" he asked. Mamoru shook his head.

"No, not once." Zoisite nodded, glancing once more at the sleeping Senshi. Soon all the men were awake, and Jadeite put on a pot of soup to heat. Zoisite sat beside Mercury and cast his eyes over her slumbering form. He gently put out one hand to stroke back an errant lock of blue-black hair, when she began to stir. Quickly withdrawing his hand, he motioned to Kunzite who drew a mug of soup and broke off a piece of bread to go with it. 

Mercury stirred again, and opened her eyes. For a moment, as she looked around her at her warm blankets and pillow, she seemed quite perplexed. She trailed one slim hand over her blanket as if not sure it was entirely real. Finally she looked up at Zoisite, still sitting silently beside her. She blinked a few times and sat up.  He smiled softly at her as the confusion left her face, then, with lightening speed, she threw herself into his arms, crying. Zoisite's arms closed automatically around her, enfolding her in a warm embrace, while all the while she said something, the words muffled by his shoulder. *This feels so… right,* he thought. Finally she lifted her head, her blue eyes now red-rimmed and repeated what she had been saying: "It wasn't a dream." 

"No," Zoisite said softly. "It wasn't a dream." He very reluctantly released her as Kunzite passed her the soup and bread, which was devoured, in very short order.  "Now," Zoisite said, turning back to the Senshi. "I believe it is time for answers." Mercury nodded.

"When you released me… you said I had been sealed for 500 years. Is… is that… really true?" Zoisite nodded. Mercury raised a white hand to her mouth and closed her eyes as fresh tears began to fall. "What happened to them?" she asked softly. "My friends, the Princess… my Zoisite…" Her eyes again opened and met his, then she dropped her head.

Zoisite remained silent for a minute before speaking again. "The other Senshi were consigned to their elements, like you were." Mercury looked up, sparks of hope dancing in her eyes. "They still live, but, like you were, they are prisoners. As for the Moon Princess…it's all rather strange. I believe they tried to kill her, but for some reason… they couldn't." 

"They couldn't kill her?" Mercury asked, astounded. "Do you mean they wouldn't, or they couldn't?" 

"They couldn't. So, they sealed her in a crystal coffin and concealed it in the middle of a desolate wasteland somewhere on the Moon and there she sleeps. She is alive." Mercury closed her eyes and clenched a fist in quiet triumph. 

("When did you find that out?" Nephrite asked. 

"I read it in the book," Zoisite explained. 

"And you didn't tell us?"

"You never asked. Read it for yourself, the book's in my pack.")

Nephrite nodded as Zoisite turned back to the Senshi. "As for your Zoisite… in a way, he is here before you." Mercury blinked, confused.

"Zoi?" Mamoru asked. "What do you mean?"

"I dreamed again last night," Zoisite explained. "Three meetings with you, Mercury. From what I can gather, in light of everything that has happened… I think they were memories." 

"Memories?" Nephrite echoed. Zoisite nodded.

"From my former life." He turned to Mercury. "I think I am the Zoisite you knew… reincarnated. I knew the original Zoisite never had children, but when he died his sister was pregnant. She named that son Zoisite, and in every third generation the first-born son after that." Silence fell while everyone considered this.

"That would certainly explain your dreams," Kunzite mused.

"And the dejá-vu," Jadeite added.

"And the physical similarity," Mercury said, looking him over again.

"So that would mean that we also are reincarnations of our namesakes?" Nephrite asked. Mamoru nodded.

"But," he addressed Mercury, "When you first woke, you called me Endymion. My name is Mamoru." 

"The last King Endymion only took that name upon his coronation," Mercury explained. "Before that, he was called Mamoru." Mamoru nodded. *King?* he thought

"Is everyone satisfied?" Zoisite asked. Nods all round. "Good. So I am guessing we will regain more of our memories as we find and awaken each Senshi."

"You're going after the others as well?" asked Mercury, her eyes shining.

"Of course," Zoisite replied. "We mean to overthrow the Dark Kingdom, and if we hope to succeed, we will need you. All of you." Mercury nodded.

"Then shall I travel with you?"

Zoisite shook his head. "No, it would look too suspicious. We have arranged for you to stay at the Losa Kard Hotel, the inn on the edge of the wastelands. The innkeeper there has agreed to conceal you until we have woken all the Senshi. When that time comes, we will come for you all, and fly you to the Moon." Mercury looked as if she was about to argue, but changed her mind. 

"What time is it?" she asked. "Is it day or night?" Nephrite checked his watch.

"It draws near midday." Mercury nodded.

"Then let us be off," she said, rising somewhat unsteadily.   

"Mercury, you've barely awoken, you can't possibly be strong enough to travel!" Mamoru protested. Zoisite smiled softly. 

"Mamoru? When she gets that look in her eyes, there's no arguing with her!" Mercury smiled warmly. 

"I'll be alright." She turned to face the block of ice wherein she had been imprisoned for five centuries. A flash of blue next to it caught her eye and she gasped softly in surprise when she saw it was the sapphire crystal. Walking over to it, she ran one gloved hand over it and picked it up. "My crystal," she whispered softly as it began to glow. Turning back to face the men, she saw her wands and lyre, still sealed in the block of ice. As if in a trance, she walked over to it and touched the top. The block shattered, and her items fell to the ground in a shower of crystal. She knelt and gathered them into her hands, still keeping hold of her crystal. She turned back to the men and smiled. Mamoru blinked as a strange expression wandered across his features. 

"Mamoru?" Kunzite asked. "What is it?" Mamoru just shook his head.

"Dejá-vu, I think." Mercury's smile faded and she turned her head slightly. Zoisite thought for a moment.

"Mercury." She looked over to him. "For all intents and purposes, I… we… are still the men you knew 500 years ago. We've just… forgotten a few things. They'll come back to us sooner or later." He rose and walked over to her, and gently placed his hand on the crystal. *I am still the man you loved,* he thought. *And I will be again.*

*I know.* Zoisite heard her say this, yet her lips did not move. His eyes widened slightly, and she nodded. *Yes, that was me. I can communicate telepathically with anyone who touches this crystal, and with the other Senshi if they are holding their crystals.*  Zoisite nodded. 

*You know, the moment I saw you, I fell in love with you again.* Mercury blushed slightly and ducked her head briefly. Zoisite smiled and lifted his hand from the crystal, turning to face his friends. "Let's get going."

"Hang on a minute, what just happened there?" Nephrite asked. 

"What do you think?" Zoisite smiled slightly.

"All we saw was you two standing there, both touching the crystal. It glowed a couple of times, but that's it," Jadeite said. 

Zoisite and Mercury exchanged a look. "Apparently, we can communicate telepathically when we are touching this crystal," Zoisite said. 

"Cool." Zoisite laughed. 

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Mamoru nodded and stood up. 

"We'll reassign the speeders. Kunzite, you ride with me. Nephrite, you stay with Jadeite. Zoisite, you take Mercury. We've got a lot of ground to cover."

Zoisite nodded. "Then let's get packed and outta here."

***********************************

Within a very short space of time all their gear was packed, and the speeders driven to the surface. Mercury was the last to leave the tower. As she left, she turned back and looked at the place that had been her prison. "Stand back," she said softly. The men moved everything to a safe distance as she fixed the tower with a calm gaze. "This tower, while beautiful, is a symbol of the Dark Kingdom," she announced. "Let this be the first sign of their downfall!" Stepping back slightly, she threw down her right hand. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" A mighty wave of sparkling water shot from the water Senshi and struck the tower, which came crashing down in a shower of white crystal. 

"Yeesh," Jadeite murmured, while Zoisite looked impressed.  

Mamoru grinned. "Are we just going to stand here gawping at a ruined tower, or are we going to get the hell out of here?"  

Mercury smiled and leapt into the middle speeder. "Let's go." Zoisite shot her an identical smile and took the driver's seat. With a whoop, the other men mounted their speeders and they shot off into the white wasteland.

~~A/N: Well faithful readers, there you have answers. Some anyway. J

Here, as usual, be much thanks:

Pyro*Chic: Here you are!

Kitn: Yes, it lives!… you want it put into Anime form!? 0_0. Arigato!!!!

Tera Earth: Your guess was close! Very close!

NeverEndingQuest: Arigato!  *sings softly* Bittersweet… Symphony…

Sailor Torrence : Here we go!

Nabooru: *happydancing* Yay!

Lady Aya: *bows* Arigato! Nice to see a new reviewer!

Shadinah: Hey, love the name! And here's another!

Jadeling: Here!

Secrets: This chapter secret no longer!

Fire Lady: *giggles* I would have made it longer, but I wanted the next bit in it's own chappie.

Moonlightshadows: Yeah, cliffies do suck… so heres the answer!

Mage Raistlin: No, Venus is next. They're going in planetary order. Mars is third.

Tangentsferret: Yay! The ferret is here! I have no intention of letting this die!

Ocianne: OUR WINNER!!!! CONGRATS!!!!


	9. The Return

A/N: Gomen nasai for making you wait so long, minna-san! But: HERE IT IS! Chapter Nine, at long last!  
  
The speeders shot across the icy planes, heading for the boundary where they passed the Snow Kaguyas. "Mercury, get down!" Zoisite called. "Enemies ahead!" He prepared to drop back behind Mamoru's speeder.  
  
"No!" Mercury called. She stood up straight and tall on the speeder. "Keep going! Trust me!" Zoisite shot a quick look back at her. Her eyes were sparkling, hair blowing back off her face. Mamoru and Nephrite pulled alongside them, Kunzite and Jadeite on the back, weapons at the ready. Mercury shot the drivers a look and made a short gesture. They obediently fell back, falling into an arrowhead formation. Ahead, Zoisite saw the Snow Kaguyas growing larger, then... fading? Hang on a minute, he thought, they're... running away?! He shot another look back at Mercury, but she hadn't changed. She still stood there, silently. I certainly don't remember her being able to do that.  
  
The same thing happened three other times that day. Either a Snow Dancer or an U-Tahime would approach, but, while still a fair way off, would turn and retreat. Every time it happened, Zoisite would look to Mercury for answers, but she would just smile. When they stopped for the night, Jadeite voiced the question first.  
  
"How the hell did you do that? I mean, all those creatures, they took one look at you and ran for their lives!" Mercury laughed softly, then turned serious.  
  
"Can you remember? Any of you?"  
  
"I think so..." Mamoru said, half closing his eyes. "As Senshi and princess of this planet... you have some sort of... what is it..." He scowled, trying to remember. "Can't quite get it..." Mercury smiled.  
  
"As Senshi of Mercury, I have a strong connection to this planet, yes. The evil creatures... they can feel my power. They can sense it. So they run. It's either that, or fight me. And die."  
  
Kunzite nodded. "Well, it certainly helped us out today."  
  
Nephrite narrowed his eyes. "But, with the new power being felt... won't the Dark Kingdom notice?"  
  
"No," Mercury replied. "This planet will hide me, hide my power. It will only be when I leave this planet that we will need to hide it."  
  
Mamoru nodded. "Now. We got to the tower in three days, with a couple of battles, so this should cut several hours off the trip. At this rate, I estimate we'll reach the Losa Kard at about this time in two days."  
  
"Good." Zoisite smiled. He turned to Mercury. "When we reach the hotel, the old man who runs the place, Ryo Urawa, has said he'll keep you there. If we arrive at nightfall, one or two of us can sneak in and tell him we're back. Then in the morning, we'll slip into the Spacedome. We'll act like you're his... niece, or daughter of a cousin or something, and we're bringing you to stay with him while we..."  
  
"Go to join the army," Mamoru finished, with a sour look. Zoisite nodded.  
  
"OK, that'll work. We'll see if Ryo-san can lend us any disguise clothing, and wigs if he's got 'em. We'll pose as brothers, or cousins or something like that." He turned and grinned at Mercury. "You'll be our little sister, ne Ami-chan?" Mercury blinked. "What?" Zoisite looked confused.  
  
"You remembered my name," she breathed. The five men exchanged looks.  
  
"I did..." Zoisite said slowly. "I... didn't even think about it, I just said it." He glanced back at her. "Does this mean..."  
  
"Your memories are returning. Without you even knowing it."  
  
"Will this happen with the rest of us?" Jadeite asked.  
  
"Probably," Nephrite said thoughtfully. "Hopefully."  
  
"Here's hoping," Mamoru said, checking his watch. "We should turn in. We'll want to get moving at first light." He turned to Mercury. "Will we need to set a watch?"  
  
"I would anyway," she replied. "Just in case."  
  
"Wise move," Kunzite said. "Watches the same as before? Good. See you all later." The men all murmured similar goodnights before slipping into their bedrolls. Zoisite gave Mercury's hand a brief squeeze as she settled herself down in the blankets.  
  
"See you in the morning. Goodnight."  
  
The night passed without incident, and they got underway soon after dawn. The next days passed without incident, only a few monsters daring approach, and even they fled at the sight of the girl on the speeders. Every time that happened, Zoisite smothered a laugh. These terrible monsters, fleeing at the sight of a single girl. Well, if I ever had to go up against her in a fight to the death, I think I'd prefer to run myself.  
  
Finally, as it neared nightfall on the third day of travel, they stopped, about an hour journey from the inn. "Tonight," Mamoru said in the tent, "Zoi and I will sneak in to the inn, and explain the situation, also we'll get any disguises he's got. The rest of you will have to wait here for us. The smaller the group, the better."  
  
"Wait," Mercury said. "Take me with you."  
  
"That's probably a good idea," Kunzite mused. "Give the man a chance to meet her before he meets her, so to speak. If you're supposed to be his niece or something, it'd be a good idea."  
  
"Right." Mamoru nodded. "Then, just Zoisite and Mercury will go."  
  
"Please. Call me Ami," Mercury said with a smile, which Zoisite returned.  
  
"OK." He handed her a cloak, which she draped around herself, concealing her slim form completely, and drawing up the hood to hide her face. Zoisite took another and did the same. "Let's go. We'll be back as soon as we can." The pair slipped out of the tent and Zoisite slipped into the driver's seat of the nearest speeder. "Ready?" he asked softly.  
  
"Let's go," she whispered. Zoisite gunned the speeder and they were off. After an hour's drive, they reached the outskirts of town. Dismounting, they secured the speeder and slipped through the shadows to the inn. The inn was silent as they slipped in, and Zoisite rang the bell on the counter. Ryo Urawa appeared.  
  
"Good evening sir, how can I help you?"  
  
"We need to talk. Privately," Zoisite said in a hoarse voice. The old man looked puzzled, but led them into a back room. "Will anyone be able to hear us in here?" Zoisite asked, in the same voice. Urawa shook his head. Zoisite nodded and took off his cloak. The old man's eyes nearly fell out of his head in shock. Zoisite grinned cockily. "Didn't I tell you we'd be back?"  
  
Urawa gaped for a minute, then regain control of himself. "There were five of you. What happened to the others?"  
  
"Oh, they're waiting about an hour away. We won't officially be coming back, you know. We're just another party who vanished into the icy wastes, never to be seen or heard from again. But I came back tonight, because there's someone you need to meet before tomorrow." He turned to Mercury and nodded, and she removed her cloak. Urawa simply stared.  
  
"Is... is that... really..." he whispered, tears filling his old eyes.  
  
"Sailor Mercury. Alive and well," Zoisite said softly. "Not just a legend, not just a myth." The old man sank to his knees in front of the girl, weeping softly. Mercury knelt in front of him, reaching out a hand.  
  
"Please..." she said softly. He looked up at met her eyes.  
  
"You're really here," he said quietly. "That mysterious heroine from legend. The Senshi of Mercury. You're really alive." Mercury nodded.  
  
"Yes. I am. And for the next while... I'll be staying here." Urawa smiled.  
  
"Yes, that's all arranged, just like I promised. I've told the staff that I'm expecting my little brother's daughter soon. My favourite niece."  
  
"Have you given her a name?" Zoisite asked. The old man nodded.  
  
"Her name is Amy. Amy Anderson." Mercury nodded approval. "You'll be helping Ocianne, if you don't mind. She looks after the children staying here."  
  
"That will be great," she smiled. Urawa smiled again and got to his feet.  
  
"Now, I expect you'll be wanting some sort of disguise to 'arrive' in, won't you."  
  
"Yes, we will," Zoisite nodded.  
  
"Got it ready." Urawa opened a cupboard in the back corner of the room and pulled out three sacks. Costumes and wigs are in here, as well as new clothes for Amy." He grinned at Mercury. "You shouldn't need much else, my girl."  
  
Zoisite nodded and took the sacks. "Thank you. For everything."  
  
"It is I who should be thanking you," the old man replied. "If you can free all the Senshi, everyone will be thanking you."  
  
"Yeah, well, don't count your chickens before they're hatched. We've only freed one so far. Still seven others to go, then the Moon Princess," Zoisite said, wrapping himself in his cloak again.  
  
"Well, I'd call this a very promising start," Urawa chuckled.  
  
"We'll come about ten tomorrow morning, OK?" Zoisite said, picking up the sacks.  
  
"See you then." Mercury smiled, and in an impulsive movement, hugged the old man. He gave her a firm hug before handing her the second cloak.  
  
"Will you do that again when you meet you old uncle tomorrow?" he asked, eyes twinkling. Mercury laughed and nodded. "See you tomorrow then." Mercury nodded and went to wrap her cloak around her self, but paused.  
  
"Wait. I should detransform." She closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, and a blue light surrounded her. When it faded, she stood there in a simple blue gown. Zoisite quickly realised he was staring and blushed faintly. Mercury went slightly pink herself and rummaged in one of the sacks to hide it. "I'd better change, ne?" she said, pulling out a simple skirt and blouse. Urawa nodded and showed her into a side room to change. The two men waited in silence until she returned, folding the blue dress neatly.  
  
"I'll keep this safe for you, my dear," Urawa said, slipping it into the cupboard.  
  
"See you tomorrow," Ami whispered, draping the cloak around her, and she and Zoisite vanished out the door into the night.  
  
The next day, the party slipped into the Spacedome at nine-thirty. The place was packed, so it was easy to go unnoticed. The men wore typical Mercurian clothing, and sported black wigs. They casually sauntered through the dome, their luggage, except Ami's, safely stowed aboard their ship. Kunzite carried one of her bags, Zoisite the other. A taxicab was swiftly procured, and they sped towards the inn, all the while chatting casually about unimportant matters.  
  
Finally they arrived at the inn. "You ready?" Zoisite whispered. Ami nodded. "Let's go meet your uncle." Mamoru sauntered to the desk and rang the bell. Urawa appeared, and his winkled face lit up when he saw Ami.  
  
"My dear Ami!" he said happily, coming around to envelop Ami in a hug. Ami laughed and hugged him back.  
  
"Good to see you again, Uncle," she said, smiling.  
  
"And how have the boys been keeping?" Urawa laughed, turning to the men standing behind her. "Out of trouble, I hope?"  
  
"Of course, old-timer," Mamoru grinned.  
  
"Watch who you're calling old, boy," Urawa joked. "I can still kick you from here to next week! Now shut your trap and take my niece's stuff to her room!" Zoisite gave an exaggerated groan along with the others and took Ami's other bag from Kunzite. "The room where you stayed last time you were here," Urawa indicated. Zoisite nodded and headed up the stairs, Ami following. The bags were unceremoniously dumped on the bed as Ami looked around the room.  
  
"It's not the fanciest place in the world," he said, "but it's nice enough." Turning, he found Ami hugging him tightly. "Ami..."  
  
"I don't want you to go," she said quietly. "Not when I've just got you back."  
  
"And I don't want to go either," Zoisite replied. "But I have to. You know I have to. But knowing doesn't make it any easier, does it?"  
  
"No. But you're going to save my princess and friends, and that makes it a little easier." She looked up at him, blue eyes meeting green. "And I know you'll come back for me." Zoisite smiled softly and bent his head closer to hers. She closed her eyes as their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. Zoisite could feel nothing except her arms around him, her warm body pressed to his, and her sweet lips on his.  
  
When they finally parted, owing to the need for breath, they heard Urawa calling them from below. "Come on Ami, come back down, it can't be all that interesting up there!"  
  
"Yes it can," she smiled softly. Zoisite smiled back and kissed her cheek before following her downstairs. Urawa was waiting with a young girl, in her late teens, with deep blue eyes, and a black, slightly below shoulder length hair kept out of her face with a cloth headband.  
  
"This is Ocianne. She looks after the children of people staying here." Ocianne grinned a greeting.  
  
"Hi! Welcome to Mercury!" Ami smiled back, but was distracted by a meowing from her feet. Looking down, she saw a small, blue-black cat winding around her ankles. "Oy, come here you," Ocianne smiled, picking the cat up. 'This is Kat the cat." She held the cat out for Ami to pat. "Come on, I'll help you get settled in."  
  
"I'll just say goodbye first," Ami said, and headed back to the men. Each man gave her a tight hug.  
  
"We'll see you soon, lil' sis." Mamoru  
  
"Keep safe." Kunzite  
  
"Don't worry, Urawa will take good care of you." Nephrite.  
  
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." A wink and grin from Jadeite.  
  
Finally she got to Zoisite. "I will come back for you, Ami. Stay safe, my heart."  
  
"I will," she said softly. With a final glance back, she went off with Ocainne.  
  
"She'll take good care of her, don't you worry," Urawa reassured them. "I swear to you now, no harm will come to her." The five men bowed to him and turned and left the inn.  
  
Soon, they were back on their ship, headed for Venus.  
  
A/N: And Mercury is done! On to Venus!  
  
Here be thanks:  
  
Fire Lady: Yeah, misspellings drive me bahooties! And yes, I"m doing all planets.  
  
Arabella Silverbell: Cherries and cream, yum.  
  
Nabooru: Venus coming up!  
  
tangentsferret : I love demanding fans! Makes me feel loved.  
  
nova33: No, I haven't stopped!  
  
Serenity's Rose: Yes, Serenity is last.  
  
Jadeling: Here's the next bit!  
  
PyroChic: Mars won't be until after Venus, gomen.  
  
Taka-Ichi-Sisters: Here's more!  
  
Telulu Hunter: Nice name!  
  
bunny angel: updating updating updating! 


	10. Landing on Venus

A/N: Gomen nasai faithful readers (if I have any of you left)! Here at last is Chapter 10: Venus begins!

The journey to Venus only took a day. The day saw Jadeite, Nephrite and Mamoru in the gym, Kunzite poring over the next map... and Zoisite sitting quietly, writing and thinking.

"You miss her, don't you Zoi?" Jadeite asked him that evening over dinner.

"Of course I do. I've just started remembering all the time we spent together in the Silver Millennium, the love we shared... and I had to leave her again," Zoisite replied softly.

"At least you can remember," Kunzite said. "From what we've gathered, we were all in love with these Senshi in the past, but I can remember nothing of it."

"You will soon," Zoisite smiled slightly. "Remember when I told you you'd understand when it was your turn? Well, when we land: it's your turn."

They arrived in the Venusian spaceport late in the afternoon and headed for the Malda Tinco. The place was owned and operated by Furuhata Motoki, a young man well skilled in running the place. He met the party with a cheery smile. "Welcome to Venus, gentlemen! If you need anything while you're here, just let me or my sister Unazuki know and we'll see what we can do." The sunny mood was abruptly shattered as a troop of soldiers went past outside. Everyone inside looked away or hissed things. Motoki swore under his breath and made a deadly insulting hand sign under the bench. When the soldiers were gone, the man's cheerful disposition returned.

"Not fond of those bastards, are we?" Mamoru murmured with a grin as Motoki showed them to their rooms.

"I didn't say that," Motoki replied, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"I did," Mamoru nodded. Beside him, Kunzite smiled slightly.

"Don't worry. Alpha, Omega, Tomorrow." Motoki blinked.

"You're..."

"Financier. Covertly. They name me as the Silver Stallion," Kunzite replied. Mamoru chuckled slightly at this. "What?"

"I never figured you were one of them."

"Come on, we can't talk here," Motoki said, ushering them towards the stairs. When they were safely in their room, Mamoru turned to Kunzite. The other man had never spoken of his involvement with the Resistance, a group of brave souls who fought the Dark Kingdom all over the nine planets. Each member was given a codename to refer to other members by. Their motto: Alpha, Omega, Tomorrow, meant basically: the Beginning of the End Tomorrow. They plotted and fought to bring about the fall of the Dark Kingdom.

"You never told us you were involved with the Resistance." The silver haired man shrugged.

"I never told you in case anything happened and my connection was exposed. I've been covertly financing their operations for years." Mamoru snorted.

"You're not the only one." Kunzite shot him a surprised look. "Black Mask."

Zoisite raised a hand. "White Sakura."

Jadeite grinned wryly. "Fire Starter."

Nephrite smiled. "Star Rider." Kunzite glanced at them, amused, before turning back to Motoki.

"That's why you chose this hotel, wasn't it?" he nodded. "You knew I ran the place."

"Yes. I talked to Dragon Princess and Magic Mushroom before I arranged it. I told them I was headed to Venus, and they said to stay at the Malda Tinco, where Crown Arcade was based." Motoki inclined his head briefly.

"Now. What really brings you to Venus?" he asked.

"We're here for Venus," Kunzite said. "Sailor Venus."

"Sailor Venus?" Motoki echoed. Kunzite nodded.

"We intend to find and free all nine Senshi, and with their help we can achieve what we have long dreamed: the destruction of the Dark Kingdom."

Motoki shook his head. "No one who has ever ventured out there has ever returned successfully."

Zoisite shrugged. "Yeah, that's exactly what they said on Mercury." Motoki turned to him, eyes wide.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they said on Mercury that no one had found Sailor Mercury, but we did. We found her and freed her. She's waiting with the old man from the Losa Kard until we've released all the others."

For a minute Motoki couldn't speak. "Are you seriously telling me that you have not only found Sailor Mercury, but you've also released her from her confinement and she's staying with old Urawa at the Losa Kard?"

Kunzite looked at him solemnly. "I swear, on my life and honour, that every word we have spoken has been true." Motoki held his gaze for a moment longer, then closed his eyes and lifted his head.

"The gods are kind, that I may see this happen in my life and that I may assist in the liberation of all worlds," he whispered rapturously. Opening his eyes again, he bowed slightly to the group. "What can I do to aid you in this endeavour?"

"Information," Mamoru said. "What you can tell us about the area around here." He spread their map out across the table. Motoki leaned over it.

"The area close to the town is infested with monsters, Akmudah and Giwork, specifically. Once you get into this area, you get Taiyan as well. There's also rumours that once you get within sight of the temple you've got marked, you get attacked by a massive demon-cat."

"Demon cat?" Jadeite asked. Motoki nodded.

"Supposedly it can't be killed by conventional weaponry, and has the strength and speed of a dozen lions." He turned back to Kunzite. "When you have released her, will you need her to stay here, like Mercury with Urawa?"

"Yes. We will need you to conceal her until we, and they, are ready. If you could come up with a cover story that would be good. It will take us about a week all up, so have your story prepared by then."

Motoki nodded and thought for a moment. "I've got it. My cousin Mina is coming to stay with me while her father is recovering from an illness. Unazuki will play along with that."

Kunzite smiled and nodded. "That will do nicely. We will depart in the morning. Thank you."

"It is I who should thank you for allowing me to assist you," Motoki countered.

"Thank us when we get back," Mamoru grinned. "See you in the morning."

A/N: And they're off! By the way, no prizes for guessing who the demon cat is. ;)

Here as usual be many thanks:

starrdancerr: Here's an update!

Ocianne: glomps back Yes, there you is! And yes, I'll be going with Manga!Soldier!Venus rather than Ditzy!Venus. But we will have SlightlyDitzy!Minako. But I won't go overboard in the ditz.

GoldenRat: Thankyou!

honey-gurl: Chapter lengths vary depending.

Nabooru: Hello again! Yep, here comes Minako!

Princess of Legends: Love the name! And here we go!

Omystrs: Hello!

NeverEndingQuest: Here I go again! The Venus arc begins!

Bradybunch4529: Thanks! Here is more!

Rinicat: Really? Must read it myself..

kuyaga: No. No Mary Sues in my stories. There is no canonical Sailor Sun, so I won't include it.

PyroChic: Hello again Pyro!

nova33: Yo yo yo!

Mizu Awa: A very long comment and very much appreciated!

Telulu Hunter: Keeping up!

bunny angel: salutes Yes Ma'am!

Silver Star Kitsune of Cosmos: Here's Venus!

Princess Ren: Yes, sorry Rei-chan has to wait until after Minako.


End file.
